The Republican journal., 1887-09-08
The Pension Laws,

Cen. Griffin, III his speech at Weir. said of
the pension laws DO you believe it WAS pat
rioti>m or nM hole>t love .nd admiration for
Inc veteran soldier that iniaacd our laH makers
tn pass such unjust and ii!ronSidcrei laws in
II ialinn to pensions a> those We now :iaI -: Let
nr illustrate by few cl>c@ that ki!oW al
about. ono of the lc>t soldiers Had With tii,.
left q beautiful young wife and two lovely child
rcn and went into tie service without bounty.
without promises. without any in'lurrncnt
whatever except HE pure patriotism Of his lloi-
c>t heart. lie WAS 4 brave and faithful soldier
troia the hc.innin" TO the end of the war. At
fi!t clos. pi the War he received an honorable
discharge and came home. He could no long
cr earn Ills living. much less support his family.
He found himself iii want. Then he began to
think about y pension. Many Of his comrades
had already obtained them. His captain WAS
dead. His lieutenant> and all hi, comra'es
Who knew about his service Were dead or re-
moved to parts unknown. He had never bcAn
in hospital and had no papers Of that kin1 10
show. lie could not prove that he was Disabled
in the service. although that fact was patent on
the face of thc ease. And 50 this honest brave
faithful old soldier, who had impcrillrd his life
and ruined his health in the service Of his rol-
try with OH ace and >taN alton Staring him in
the face. could not gci one dollar Of pension
for all he had done
But there was another ~el,licr in The same rt--
inent. in fh' same company With the first one,
4 W0rlhic<S fellow al home before and after
IN" war, and !: worse than worthless fellow IN
tAe army. He waited till i.c could get $500
bounty before lie enlisted. and hen came cat
A. Recruit and went straight ~ HE hospital.
We tried 10 teach hiii the drill hut he wa~ al
WAYS toe feeble 10 drill always too sr, to !,t-
On dl;iN although - .ilt-hotlicl rs | was. p!'
any ,"iirr in the regiment. He lied to The
sur.,rAn, played sic Whenever there was actiNr
s.'iNic on hand. ANA >pe!tt mo>i OF his time III
he hospital. lie WAS nCNe under fire in his i'
We could nc.cr get him near Il battlefield. cN-
II 10 carry him in an ambulance. \ Itei- hang
in about in this way nearly through ti,e war,
liz was discharged from the hospital f'T Ills
ability contracted in the scrNcr.' He i,a,l no
difficulty iii gcttin" 4 pcn-i"n. lie had hosp-
al papers that were absolutely perfect. Why.
the COY ernncnt jumped al the chance 10 give
that fellow a pension, and was not satisfied
With giving him Sl2 !, month. but went back
and gave him about ~l.JD Of jiac}, pension.
And he is drawing his pension to-day.
Now, what sense is there is such laws AS
these. To Say nothing Of justice: DO yon say that
these are small matters. and that the ,ncn who
passed the laws are statesmen in wcightcr af-
fairs: Let me tell you that men who cannot he
trustee, in these matters cannot be trusted in
anything.
When Il man enlisted into the service the
government had is sworn surgeon on the spot
10 examine him phy>icaliy and see that he was
Il sound man, and if he Was moi sound lie w,:s
rejected. Bat now, - years after Cat !r:,St That
has been the course all alonc). they compel
that soldier 10 30 back beyond those - wears
and prove that he was sound when he enlisted.
Il hing that it is next to impossible for him to
do. And if he fails TO prove il. he fails 10 get
his pension. Why will they not take the sworn
>tatmcn! Of their own surgeon made at the
time!